Article submitted by Jamie Mark of EM Agency

Are you aware that there are some good things happening these days? Like, the Valedictorian speeches from the class of 2020, originally seen on Some Good News. Or, the fact that more than one million people have already recovered from COVID-19 worldwide. Knowing this made us feel better. Looking for the good is making us more aware of the good around us. And that’s sound advice for any business right now. Here’s how your business can be more aware.

Brand Awareness

Every crisis has a silver lining; use this one to become more aware of the big picture of your company.

• Be an expert—when it makes sense. We’re doing that very thing by offering our advice as small business communications experts (and not health experts!). What does your expertise bring to the table for others?
• Avoid the hard sell. It’s no surprise, but people aren’t necessarily buying a product for the product right now. Instead, they’re supporting companies who are doing good and being kind in these tough times. Do good. Be kind.
• Sharing is caring. Invite every stuck-at-home customer or slowly reopening business to a Zoom meeting and simply offer to help. For us that might be brainstorming a clever tagline, sharing a press release on our channels, or merely making the connection between two like-minded clients.

Social Media Awareness

Now that more eyes are on social media, it’s tempting to share every little thing that comes through your timeline to cash in on that attention. But while social media usage is up, engagement is down-down-down. Be aware of what you share, and where you share it.

• Post responsibly. Don’t feed the frenzy. Before sharing, ask yourself: Is it helpful? Is it kind? Is it inspirational?
• Branch out. Did you know that Tik Tok has seen an 18 percent increase in users during the crisis? If you’ve been focused on just one platform for a while, try a new one on for size, or resurrect one you haven’t used in a while. (Ahem, LinkedIn.)

What you can do right now

Listen. It’s not about what you think, it’s about what your customers think. Take the time to interact with your customers online. Find their feeds. Read their comments. Watch their stories. Comment positively or ask a question. The more you interact with them, the more they will interact with you. This is one time where quid pro quo works in your favor.

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If you have any suggestions or questions about awareness for your specific business, we want to help.

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